If you are reading this on Thanksgiving Day, I’m guessing you just took a breather before the hustle of the day. If it’s after Thanksgiving, I’d say you didn’t have a moment prior. For me, the holidays get hectic, chaotic and overwhelming. There are meals to prep, houses to clean, people to visit, cards to send, gifts to buy and then wrap.This is outside of the normal work day, getting the kids to school, sports practices, dance recitals, making dinner, doing laundry and dishes -- and don’t forget to get the car’s oil changed and take the dog for a walk!
So right now, I challenge you. I challenge you to STOP. Pause. BE.
Look around. What do you see? Are you sitting in your home? Is there a comfy seat to sit on? Food in the kitchen? Pictures of loved ones around you? Can you see outside or are you already outside? Is the sun shining; the sky blue; nature providing a beautiful work of art; or the noise of neighbors on the sidewalk?
Be with this verse for a minute…Seriously, set your timer!
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Now that you have taken a pause, what can you give thanks for today? Some days it is easier than others. Some stages of life or situations make this question difficult. But God provides so much. He loves us. He has a plan through it all. Where can you see Him at work in your life? He’s certainly working!
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!”
1 Chronicles 16:34
His love is always and forever. Each day he is working for our good. There was a stage in my life before I became a Christian, when finding the positives was hard. Finding joy was impossible.The end of this stage was when my journey towards God began. At this time I learned to pray, and more importantly, I learned how to P.R.A.Y. (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) The first thing we are called to do is praise and give thanks.
It was a struggle at first. I had few things I felt I could be thankful for. Those I found were mundane, and honestly, things I did not truly appreciate or feel grateful for at the time. But I practiced. Each night I prayed. I thought about the day and what God placed in it to bring me joy. The more I practiced, the more I saw, the easier it became, and the more joy I felt.
But the world is broken, and we know some days are hard. In these moments, I remember that each day I wake up. Each day, after the darkness of night, God makes the sun rise. There are days when dawn arrives and it is amazingly blue, days it is full of gloomy clouds, and days it is miserably pouring down rain. But whatever the morning brings, I thank God the sun always rises amidst the dark and the day is hopefully bright.
So this Thanksgiving, I challenge you to pause and PRAY. What are you thankful for? Seek, even the small, and find what God has placed in your life today. Praise, see the love, find the joy, feel the hope that God provides.
And then, “Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!”
1 Chronicles 16:9
For more information about how to use the simple P.R.A.Y. method of prayer: PRAY
ABOUT THE BLOGGER
A former teacher, coach and personal trainer, Kristin Ryan now loves being a stay-at-home mom. As someone who has more recently found Christianity, she enjoys learning and growing in her faith and is excited to share her experience with others. Kristin and her husband, Casey, have three small children (one was born during the pandemic) and one big dog.